Call for vilification law change

By Barney Zwartz

VICTORIA'S religious hatred law is causing more enmity than harmony and should be changed, say leaders of the state's churches.

A letter sent by church leaders to Premier Steve Bracks yesterday asks him to drop the civil provisions and keep only criminal offences of the religious vilification laws.

"People use it to pursue religious quarrels," said Presbyterian Church of Victoria ethics committee convener David Palmer. "It's the Muslims and occultists who are trying to put barriers around themselves and close down people who dare to offer criticism."

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Mr Palmer, who is organising the push for a change in the law, will ring Mr Bracks today, seeking an appointment for heads of churches to discuss their concerns.

In the letter, the leaders affirm their "strong abhorrence" of any form of vilification and say they understand the Government's intention. But "it is clear from the operation of the act that it has caused much more division and enmity between religions than harmony, and our concern is that this might intensify".

It continues: "Our state's experience has become part of the justification for not introducing similar legislation in SA, NSW and WA and has been used as a negative example … in the UK."

The letter is signed by Anglican, Catholic, Lutheran, Presbyterian and Assembly of God leaders, several Orthodox churches, and Melbourne's biggest Pentecostal churches, including CityLife, Crossway and Careforce, but not the Uniting or Baptist churches. It says they hope leading Jewish groups will also endorse the move.

Mr Palmer said the church was "asleep" when the law was introduced, but the Islamic Council of Victoria's complaint against Catch the Fire Ministries and two pastors dismayed "most branches of the church".

"It was seen as an attack on freedom, and particularly an attempt by Muslims to prevent criticism we might have of Islamic belief and practices."

The pastors were found to have vilified Muslims, and have appealed.

After another case dismissed as "preposterous", Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal president Stuart Morris called for changes to the act. Mr Bracks indicated only minor changes were needed.

But Mr Palmer said the church leaders wanted the Victorian law to follow the proposed British law, under which police investigate complaints and the director of public prosecutions decides whether to bring charges. He said people of any faith or none should be able to express and defend their views and point out what they regard as the failings of other faiths.

Islamic Council of Victoria spokesman Waleed Aly said the letter showed that religious communities continued to support the principle behind the legislation. "The law is about preventing unreasonable vilification that is not in good faith, and we see that as no more controversial than any defamation law."

He said it was ridiculous to say the council avoided debate, because it had been "in the thick of it" for years.